Roccocò: Sorrento's Christmas biscuit

Roccocò are among the most typical Christmas sweets in Sorrento and throughout Campania: hard, crunchy rings packed with almonds and scented with cinnamon, cloves and citrus zest. They are made days in advance, keep for a long time and come to the table on the festive tray together with struffoli, sapienze, mostaccioli and susamielli. The recipe below comes from Nonna Rosaria's recipes, and she suggests enjoying them in good company with a glass of local wine or liqueur.

A name from the Baroque

The name comes from the French rocaille, because their shape recalls a rounded, wavy Baroque shell. It is a refined name for a sweet of humble origins, made with simple, wholesome ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 kg plain flour
• 1 kg sugar
• 300 g almonds
• 200 g candied citron and candied peel
• 2 sachets of vanilla
• 2 sachets of ground cinnamon
• 5 cloves, crushed
• the grated zest of 3 oranges, 3 mandarins and 3 lemons, still green
• 3 g baker's ammonia (ammonium bicarbonate)
• 250 g lukewarm water
• 1 beaten egg for brushing

Method

1. Heap the flour on a pastry board, make a well in the centre and add the sugar and all the other ingredients: almonds, candied fruit, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and citrus zest.
2. Add the baker's ammonia and the 250 g of lukewarm water and mix well.
3. When the dough has become firm and stiff, shape it into lots of rings.
4. Place them on a greased baking tray and brush the tops with the beaten egg.
5. Bake at 200 °C for about 35 minutes.

A tip

Roccocò are meant to be hard: that is their character. At Christmas some people dunk them in wine or liqueur to soften them, and a small glass of nocino or limoncello is the ideal companion. Kept in a biscuit tin they stay good for weeks, which is why they are made in large quantities and given to friends and relatives.